Google Apps Adds Voice, Maps, Reader & More

Google () continued its charge into the enterprise sector on Thursday with the introduction of a massive infrastructure overhaul for Google Apps. Previously, Google Apps was limited to basic services like Gmail, Calendar () and Docs. Starting today, Google Apps administrators can enable the complete array of Google services, including Google Voice, Reader, Maps and more.

The addition of Google Voice () could be particularly disruptive to VoIP providers that cater to the enterprise. Instead of opting for expensive telephony systems, Google Apps administrators can simply deploy Google Voice accounts to users as cheap and scalable voice solutions. This seems even more attractive given that users can now make phone calls directly through Gtalk (), which would largely eliminate the need to even buy a phone.

Another major factor here is the introduction of Google Reader (). This will be immensely beneficial to companies as they’ll now be able to create and manage a Reader comprised of “must-read” feeds for their employees.

Administrators are being given advanced control over the new functions. Specific services can be deployed to different groups, so access to things like the company’s Blogger () account could be limited to a select few.

Overall, this is a significant announcement that is likely to majorly affect the proliferation of Google Apps. If you’re a Google Apps administrator, let us know what you think of the new features in the comments.